Victorian Decorative Arts Architecture:
The term "Victorian architecture" actually encompasses a broad range of architectural styles that predominated in Victorian-era Britain. Actually, the architectural period lasted a little longer than solely during the reign of Queen Victoria, contrary to its name. Among these distinct styles, the major ones are:
Gothic Revival Admirers of Neo-Gothic styles decided to try to rejuvenate medieval architecture, as opposed to the classical architectural styles that predominated the era. This period of architecture also had many political connotations, as Neoclassicism was considered to be liberal, while Neo-Gothic was considered to be conservative. The people who worked in this style admired the simple, rather archaic way of life that was the norm during the medieval time period.
The Rialto Buildings, a classic example of Neo-Gothic Architecture
Neoclassical The neoclassical style is primarily derived from both the architecture of ancient Greece and the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. In many ways, the architects that worked in this style sought to return to the "purity" that the Roman arts were reputed to have. It first gained influence in Paris, and has since spread to nearly every corner of the world.
Prado Museum in Madrid
Painted Ladies The term "painted ladies" refers to houses and buildings that were decorated with three or more colors with the intent of embellishing architectural details. This style actually did not come to dominate until about 1849, when some 48,000 houses in San Francisco, California were built in this style. Nowadays, these houses are still famous for their bright colors and clustered nature.
Houses in the famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco
Queen Anne The Queen Anne style refers to a movement both in furniture and decoration style that hearkened back to Old English and Tudor styles. Richard Norman Shaw, an influential British architect, helped to popularize this form. Many furniture- and cabinet-makers still work in this style, considered one of the toughest and most ornate styles to capture.
Queen Anne-style houses in Istanbul, Turkey
A chair made in the Queen Anne style
Art:
George Cole
He painted landscapes, portraits and animals. Self-taught, he began by painting several circus advertisements. After studying with Dutch masters, most of his work focused on animals. His 'Don Quixote and Sancho Panza with Rosinante in Don Pedro's Hut' attracted quite a bit of attention, and he remains one of the most widely recognized artists of the Victorian era. William Powell Frith
He is by far the most popular and renowned of all Victorian painters. Contemporary and historical scenes dominated his painting, Frith was Queen Victoria's favorite artist. His early subjects were taken from historical Scott, Shakespeare, and Dickens, until being inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites to begin to paint contemporary scenes. Many of his works are in the British Royal Collection. Henry John Yeend King
Trained in Paris by Bonnat and Cormon, he painted landscapes and rustic scenes in his hometown of London. His later paintings of garden scenes featuring pretty girls were typical of Victorian painting, although his paintings reflected his Paris training. Henry Lejeune
He was yet another London artist, painting historical genre, country scenes, and children. Many of his themes are views of the Thames or views of the coast of Holland. In 1845 he became master of the Royal Academy.
Classic Victorian garden painting by Monarche
Victorian Music
Through a long tradition, Victorian music had about a half-and-half mix of vocal and instrumental performance. For most concerts, music alternated between vocal and instrumental so as to not become boring. Also, this followed a long line of thought that considered vocal sound and instrumental sound to be interdependent as well as simply complementary. Concerts also would offer music from several countries, and it was rare to hear many local or regional songs. After about 1840, the concerts began moving towards vocal performances, much as can be seen today. However, one thing that differed greatly from today was the blending of many different genres. For example, Charles Edward Horn dabbled in singing, playing bass, and composing, and scored a big hit with his song "Cherry Ripe" in the comic opera "Paul Pry." However, having distinct genres was different from having discord, and in many cases, the genres blended quite nicely.
An artist's rendering of a 19th century music hall
WORKS CITED
Barry J. Faulk, Music Hall and Modernity: The Late-Victorian Discovery of Popular Culture (Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 2004), xxii + 244 pages, illustrated, hardback, £29.50 (ISBN 0 8214 1585 9). [[House of Antique Hardware, "Victorian 1837-1914." House of Antique Hardware. 2009. House of Antique Hardware. 4 May 2009 <http://houseofantiquehardware.com/site/timeline/tl_victorian.html>.]][[ Len Platt, Musical Comedy on the West End Stage, 1890-1939 (Basing- stoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004), 224 pages, hardback, £52.50 (ISBN 1 4039 3225 5). ]]
Architecture:
The term "Victorian architecture" actually encompasses a broad range of architectural styles that predominated in Victorian-era Britain. Actually, the architectural period lasted a little longer than solely during the reign of Queen Victoria, contrary to its name. Among these distinct styles, the major ones are:
Gothic Revival
Admirers of Neo-Gothic styles decided to try to rejuvenate medieval architecture, as opposed to the classical architectural styles that predominated the era. This period of architecture also had many political connotations, as Neoclassicism was considered to be liberal, while Neo-Gothic was considered to be conservative. The people who worked in this style admired the simple, rather archaic way of life that was the norm during the medieval time period.
Neoclassical
The neoclassical style is primarily derived from both the architecture of ancient Greece and the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. In many ways, the architects that worked in this style sought to return to the "purity" that the Roman arts were reputed to have. It first gained influence in Paris, and has since spread to nearly every corner of the world.
Painted Ladies
The term "painted ladies" refers to houses and buildings that were decorated with three or more colors with the intent of embellishing architectural details. This style actually did not come to dominate until about 1849, when some 48,000 houses in San Francisco, California were built in this style. Nowadays, these houses are still famous for their bright colors and clustered nature.
Queen Anne
The Queen Anne style refers to a movement both in furniture and decoration style that hearkened back to Old English and Tudor styles. Richard Norman Shaw, an influential British architect, helped to popularize this form. Many furniture- and cabinet-makers still work in this style, considered one of the toughest and most ornate styles to capture.
George Cole
He painted landscapes, portraits and animals. Self-taught, he began by painting several circus advertisements. After studying with Dutch masters, most of his work focused on animals. His 'Don Quixote and Sancho Panza with Rosinante in Don Pedro's Hut' attracted quite a bit of attention, and he remains one of the most widely recognized artists of the Victorian era.
William Powell Frith
He is by far the most popular and renowned of all Victorian painters. Contemporary and historical scenes dominated his painting, Frith was Queen Victoria's favorite artist. His early subjects were taken from historical Scott, Shakespeare, and Dickens, until being inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites to begin to paint contemporary scenes. Many of his works are in the British Royal Collection.
Henry John Yeend King
Trained in Paris by Bonnat and Cormon, he painted landscapes and rustic scenes in his hometown of London. His later paintings of garden scenes featuring pretty girls were typical of Victorian painting, although his paintings reflected his Paris training.
Henry Lejeune
He was yet another London artist, painting historical genre, country scenes, and children. Many of his themes are views of the Thames or views of the coast of Holland. In 1845 he became master of the Royal Academy.
Victorian Music
Through a long tradition, Victorian music had about a half-and-half mix of vocal and instrumental performance. For most concerts, music alternated between vocal and instrumental so as to not become boring. Also, this followed a long line of thought that considered vocal sound and instrumental sound to be interdependent as well as simply complementary. Concerts also would offer music from several countries, and it was rare to hear many local or regional songs. After about 1840, the concerts began moving towards vocal performances, much as can be seen today. However, one thing that differed greatly from today was the blending of many different genres. For example, Charles Edward Horn dabbled in singing, playing bass, and composing, and scored a big hit with his song "Cherry Ripe" in the comic opera "Paul Pry." However, having distinct genres was different from having discord, and in many cases, the genres blended quite nicely.
WORKS CITED
Barry J. Faulk, Music Hall and Modernity: The Late-Victorian Discovery of Popular Culture (Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 2004), xxii + 244 pages, illustrated, hardback, £29.50 (ISBN 0 8214 1585 9). [[House of Antique Hardware, "Victorian 1837-1914." House of Antique Hardware. 2009. House of Antique Hardware. 4 May 2009 <http://houseofantiquehardware.com/site/timeline/tl_victorian.html>.]][[ Len Platt, Musical Comedy on the West End Stage, 1890-1939 (Basing- stoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004), 224 pages, hardback, £52.50 (ISBN 1 4039 3225 5). ]]